Fugitives
by SLOW INCINERATION
Summary: Knockout and Starscream are humanized and sent out on a mission, but once they fail to report in, Megatron humanizes Soundwave and sends him to find them... But then Megatron is forced to leave earth and his three officers behind, who become fugitives from both the Autobots and human police... What secrets were each con hiding? And will they dare to endanger what they love most? AU
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1: Abandoned**

Knockout stood next to Starscream in the glass casing, separated by a wall as they watched the Decepticon TIC typing and turning on the humanizer, which would shift them into human forms so that they could go and complete a mission given to them by Megatron.

"I better look good." Knockout murmured to Starscream, who frowned at him and rolled his optics. "Honestly? You've been humanized before and quite proud of how you looked." The SIC answered in a slightly annoyed tone.

Looking at him Knockout raised an eyebrow. "And you _haven't_ been humanized yet, now have you?" He smirked at him. "You'll probably look _old_."

"Why you!" Starscream cried, the wall stopping him from reaching the medic, and then the humanizer was turned on, stopping him from being able to do anything.

Soundwave turned and looked after a few minutes had passed, looking down at the two Cybertronians gone human as they stood within the glass casings.

Opening the door, Soundwave reached in and picked them up, looking them over. Knockout's hair was red like his paintjob had been, and he wore a red tank top with black leather jacket and baggy black jeans. Starscream was silver haired with a red streak in it, faded jeans and a gray tanktop.

Nodding, Soundwave carried them over to a counter, setting them down on it as he typed coordinates into the groundbridge and carried them through, setting them down nearby a city before turning and leaving, vanishing back through the groundbridge to return to the Nemesis.

Knockout looked at Starscream with a smirk. "Yep. You do look old." He said, pretending to look him over. "The only good feature is this." He said, flicking the longer lock of red hair.

Growling threateningly, Starscream glared at him. "Just shut up and let's get this done." He responded, heading off. Their mission was very important. Megatron had recently discovered that the Pentagon had vital information and launch codes for something called nuclear missiles. He had surmised that if he could get his servos on that and launch the missiles, then earth would be destroyed and he could do whatever he wanted with it.

Rolling his eyes, Knockout put on the mirrored sunglasses to make sure that no one would be able to see his red eyes. "So... What do you think Fowler would say seeing us like this?" He asked.

Starscream looked at the other human, shrugging. "Who said that he would be able to recognize us?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.

Knockout held in a laugh. He was thinking about saying 'because every time I come here as a human I always do something bad.' He smiled as he thought back to his street racing as a human driving a lamborghini and other vehicles with... He quickly pushed the thought away and looked at Starscream. "I was just asking... Because we look sort of similar to our Cybertronian forms." He said before looking around then at Starscream. "I need to go in here for a moment." He said, motioning to a store.

Looking up at the building, Starscream frowned and looked at him. "Why do you need to go in there?" He asked curiously.

Shrugging, the medic looked at him. "I need to go to the bathroom." He answered with a smirk before reaching over and flicking Starscream's arm. "Maybe you should find something to hide that." He laughed before disappearing into the store.

Starscream frowned and looked down at his arm before gasping in surprise. The Decepticon symbol was a tattoo on his right bicep. Smacking a hand over it, Starscream looked around to make sure that no one had seen, eyes wide as he looked around for anywhere before going into a clothing store.

Looking around for several minutes, Starscream found an armband with a strange mark on it, but ignored it, snatching it up and sneaking back out of the store, not putting it on until he was back at the one where Knockout had gone.

Putting on the armband, Starscream then relaxed and looked around for Knockout, whom he had thought would've been back by now.

Starscream sighed and rolled his eyes before going into the store and asking for the washroom, going into it when it was pointed out, calling for Knockout but using the name KO so as not to cause suspicion.

When no answer came, Starscream frowned. Knockout wasn't anywhere to be seen in the washroom. Growling to himself, the SIC hurried out of the bathroom in search of his partner.

 _-Nemesis-_

"Soundwave." Megatron's voice growled from behind the TIC, who turned and looked at him through his visor. "Have Knockout and Starscream reported in yet?" The massive warlord demanded, servos clasped behind his back.

"Negative." Soundwave answered, looking at him while he waited for any sort of response he might receive from the gray mech.

Growling, Megatron was silent for a few moments before speaking. "Soundwave. Go and see what is going on... Retrieve them if there is anything wrong." He ordered, turning to leave before pausing and looking over his shoulder at Soundwave, who stood stock still as he watched his leader. "But return swiftly, Soundwave." He ordered softly. "I fear that I may have to leave this planet soon, but temporarily." He added before vanishing.

Soundwave turned silently and turned on the humanizer, walking into it and waiting for the humanizer to humanize him, his thoughts wandering slightly.

When the humanization of the Decepticon was completed, Soundwave looked down at himself. He already knew what he would look like, but he always liked to see himself whenever there was a change from Cybertronian to human. He had jet black hair, purple eyes, a black tanktop, black skinny jeans, the Decepticon symbol tattooed to the side of his neck, and scarring around his mouth which extended from the left corner of his mouth and up around his left temple and around his left eye.

Sighing softly, Soundwave pulled a remote out of his pocket, opening a groundbridge to the coordinates he had give Knockout and Starscream, walking through swiftly while grabbing a black hoodie he kept around, putting it on and pulling up the hood to conceal both his tattoo and his scarring.

Stepping out into the streets of Newton, Nevada, Soundwave felt the wind whip around him as he began to search for the two missing Cybertronians.

Soundwave began asking around at stores, one cashier nodding at a description of Starscream. "He came rushing in here and looked around for a few minutes before leaving again." He told the TIC.

Nodding, Soundwave looked at him. He _hated_ speaking with his normal voice, but didn't have a choice in his human form. "Where did he go?" He asked.

The cashier pointed to a store across the street. "He went into there."

Soundwave sighed and took long strides across the street to the second building, looking around for the Decepticon SIC, nearly crashing into him when he came rushing out of a room.

Starscream looked up at him, wearing sunglasses to conceal his red eyes. "Soundwave!" He cried, the communications officer clapping a hand over his mouth to keep him from completing the name. "Where is Knockout?" He hissed in a near-whisper.

Pushing Soundwave's hand away, Starscream looked at him. "I don't know! He said he was going to the bathroom, but when I came in here, he wasn't here!" He answered.

Growling softly, Soundwave looked around before going to another cashier. "Is there any bars or clubs around?" He asked her.

"Yeah." The cashier responded. "There's a bar just down the street." She added, pointing in the direction.

Soundwave nodded his thanks, grabbing Starscream's arm and dragging him along with him towards the door and down the street. When he found Knockout he was going to-

A comm message came in from Megatron, and Soundwave opened it as he walked before freezing and standing still. It was a recording, but it's words rattled him to his very core. _'Soundwave. Something has occured and I have been forced to leave earth. The Autobots and human authorities are searching for you and the others. Find Knockout and Starscream and keep in touch with them... I will return once I am able.'_

"Soundwave?" Starscream hissed at him, not getting his sudden change in demeanor. "Soundwave, what in the name of-"

Soundwave rounded on Starscream, seeing a police car over the SIC's shoulder and nonchalantly pulled him down an alley. "Run." He muttered before taking off before the officers in the patrol vehicle could see them... It was of little chance that the human authorities or the autobots would be able to identify their human forms, and they may even think that they were in their Cybertronian, so Soundwave knew they had time.

Pulling Starscream into an alley, Soundwave pulled out a knife, causing the Decepticon lieutenant's eyes to widen behind the sunglasses. "S-soundwave?!"

Soundwave pinned the other human against the wall before cutting off the lock of red hair, tossing it away.

The silver-haired human opened his eyes now, breathing hard as he looked at Soundwave, he had been expecting to be killed, but still didn't get why the TIC had done that. "Soundwave! What did you do that for?!"

"It was a giveaway." Soundwave answered simply, re-pocketing the knife before turning and hurrying down the alley, Starscream hurrying to catch up. "Soundwave! What is going on?!" He demanded.

Looking back at Soundwave, the communications officer voiced a sentence he had never even dreamed of having to say. "Megatron has abandoned us."


	2. Chapter 2

Knockout got out of the stolen car that he had hot-wired only a few hours ago, a skill that he had learned from a... Good friend.

Quietly, the Decepticon medic snuck into the old building that had all kinds of cars around it, some gutted of parts and others looking like newer versions or hybrids.

Entering the building, Knockout could hear music playing towards the back of the room, where one could assume the owner and occupant was currently working on whatever vehicle was chosen out of the mayhem of cars.

Smiling mischievously, Knockout crept past work tables scattered with all kinds of tools, and by more cars until he caught sight of a young woman, approximately the age of 23, leaning over the hood of a car as she worked.

Knockout crept up behind her and quickly covered her eyes with his hands. "Guess who it is, babe." He smiled widely as he waited for her response, the girl rolling her eyes from behind his hands. "It's KO." She answered, sighing loudly as Knockout turned her around. "And you sound so excited." The red-haired human answered, rolling his eyes as she laughed.

"I knew you were here." The girl answered, smiling brightly at him before picking up another tool and turning back to tinker around under the hood of the car she had previously been working on.

Looking at the car, Knockout cocked his head. "BMW?" He asked curiously, making the girl nod. "Yeah, but with the power and speed of a Ferrari." She answered, making him nod again. "You gonna race it?" He asked, making her snort. "Of course I am!" She scoffed.

Knockout laughed and smiled. "You got room for me, babe? The Aston's back on the warship."

Green eyes turned onto him as she smirked. "If you're going to co-pilot then yeah, I do." She answered, motioning to the car.

Raising his eyebrows, Knockout stood and moved over to look inside, whistling. "You've outdone yourself this time, Daniele." He shook his head. "Two drivers?"

"It's DJ, and it's nice, isn't it?" She smiled as she moved net to him to look into the car. "You're gonna have to work with me this time." She added, looking up at him smugly.

Knockout made a mock groan and covered his eyes with an arm. "What?! I have to sit in a car next to the cutest girl in the business? Work with her?" He whined teasingly.

DJ laughed. "Afraid so, rookie." She answered, smacking his muscled arm.

"Rookie?!" Knockout asked, truly offended now. "Might I remind you that I was racing probably before you were even born? I am a car!" He frowned at her, only making her laugh harder. "And people say cars can't talk back!" She smirked, sauntering off.

Knockout watched her go, a small smile on his face. "And people said you were hard to get." He called to her, following before coming up behind her and wrapping his arms around her waist and laying his chin down on her shoulder. "But you just fell for me, didn't you?"

DJ snorted and pushed his face away with a hand. "After chasing you with a stell rod." She scoffed.

Rolling his eyes, Knockout snorted. "You were just surprised because I showed you that I was really a robot." He responded.

The black-haired girl snorted and pushed his face away again. "And no kisses until I'm done working." She answered, making him sigh loudly as he moved his hands down to the small buldge of her stomach. "How's it going in here?" He asked with a smile.

"Good actually." DJ answered, looking at him now with a smile. "He's kicking a lot... Complains too." She smirked now. "Just like you." She added.

"Hey!" Knockout mock-pouted before he realized what she had said. "He?!" He demanded in excitement.

DJ turned in his arms to face him, "Yeah, KO. I said he." She answered, rolling her eyes but unable to keep the smile from touching her lips again as the red-haired human smiled widely. "It's a mech?" He asked again, unable to comprehend the idea as DJ rolled her eyes at his statement. "A boy." She corrected him. "You go calling him mech in public, you're going to get people thinking that you're just plain weird."

Kissing her briefly, Knockout smiled again. "I don't care." He answered. "So long as I have you." He added, playing with the ring on her finger, making her smile at him, but when he tried to kiss her again, she laughed and pushed him away. "Work first, pretty boy." She smirked at him.

"Fine." Knockout sighed, rolling his eyes before beginning to clean a pole she handed him, leaning against the wall as he watched her continue working, thinking before speaking again. "I honestly don't feel comfortable with you racing like this..." He finally admitted to her, making her look up.

"Like what? Pregnant?" DJ asked him, making him nod as she rolled her eyes. "We've talked about this, KO. I won't race once I hit seven months, and that's an entire month away." She answered.

Knockout sighed at her. "I know." He answered. "But I still worry."

Sighing softly, DJ stood and walked over to him, leaning against his chest. "You worry too much." She said with a soft smile as he smiled back down at her.

DJ reached up and removed the sunglasses. "Let's see those red eyes." She stated teasingly.

"You like red?" Knockout asked, smiling down at her before pecking a kiss to her forehead.

"So long as our kid doesn't have them, yeah." She answered with a smile. "Don't want people asking questions about it."

Laughing, Knockout wrapped his arms around her. "It'll be fine." He answered. "Just tell them his dad's an albino." He added, making DJ snort at him and raise an eyebrow. "Albino's have pink eyes, KO. Not red." She answered.

"Tell them to use their imagnination then." Knockout responded calmly. "Thought of any names?" He asked.

DJ smiled and thought. "I really like the name Zeke." She told him, making him nod. "Sounds strong... Sounds like a racer's name too." He added with a wide grin. "Yeah, you would've picked something weird." She teased him.

Knockout pouted. "Orion wasn't a weird name." He answered defensively.

DJ laughed and wrapped her arms around him happily. "Maybe not where you're from, but it is around here." She answered. "Tell you what. How about we call him Zeke Orion?" She asked.

Knockout smiled and Eskimo kissed her. "It's cute." He answered, smiling before pecking her lips.

"How long has it been, KO?" DJ asked, looking up at him. "Two? Three years?"

Thinking, Knockout nodded. "Two and a half." He answered. "And out of those years, we've only actually spent a year in total, together?" DJ asked softly.

Knockout sighed, sitting and pulling her into his lap, wrapping his arms around her and holding her close. "You know what would happen if my relationship with you was discovered." He answered, shuddering at the thought.

"Yup. You killed, me killed, and our kid becomes a new science toy for that Shockwave freak." She answered, turning in his lap to face him. "What are you doing here this time?" She asked.

Smiling, Knockout shook his head. "A job... top secret." He answered, making DJ roll her eyes. "But really, it's just a plan of mass destruction to put all of humanity into extinction." She corrected, making him shrug. "I'll keep you and the child safe, I promise." He answered, cuddling her closer and protectively.

Laying her head on his shoulder, DJ sighed and shut her eyes. "People are beginning to ask questions, KO." She said softly.

"What kind of questions?" Knockout asked gently, laying his chin atop her head gently. "They're starting to ask where my husband is, and if I'm really married." She answered, making him sigh. "I know... Breakdown's starting to ask questions too, about why I won't hang out with him anymore." He sighed, kissing her head. "I wish he could find a femme for himself."

DJ smiled. "He's a sweet guy, from what I've heard you tell me. I'm sure that, one day, he will." She answered, making the other man nod.

Silence passed for several moments before Knockout broke it. "I promised to leave the Decepticons one day when we married, remember?" He asked, looking down at her.

"Yeah." DJ answered softly.

"Well, it's gonna be soon... Then we'll be able to settle down in peace, alright?" He asked, kissing her brow.

"OK." DJ sighed, cuddling closer. "You gonna race with me tonight?" She asked.

Knockout hesitated. "I'll try to." He answered as she got up and moved back over to work on the car.

Sighing softly, the red-haired medic continued cleaning the steel pole she had handed him.

A beeping from his pocket alerted him that someone was calling his comm link, and he quickly answered it. "KO, I mean... Knockout."

"Where are you, you glitch?!" Starscream's voice came over the link, making him roll his eyes. "Somewhere." He answered calmly. "Why?" He added, frowning before adding. "You sound like you're running."

"That's because running is _all I've been doing the past three hours!"_ Starscream screeched, making Knockout have to hold the phone away from his ear. "Why?" The medic asked.

"Why? WHY?!" Starscream shouted. "Maybe because Megatron took the warship and _abandoned_ us, Knockout!" The former SIC responded loudly. "The Autobots _and_ the human authorities are searching for us!"

Knockout's mouth dropped open and he looked at DJ, who was watching, motioning her to come over so that she could listen too. "Why would Megatron abandon us?" He asked.

"I don't know!" Starscream shouted, his voice jostling as if he was running again. "Soundwave's right ehre too and HE doesn't even know!"

Knockout was still... He just couldn't believe it. "Do the Autobots know what we were sent to do? Maybe that we're in human forms?" He asked.

"We don't know _anything_ yet, Knockout." Starscream answered. "But you need to get down here _fast_!" He added. "We've gotta change our looks!"

Sighing, Knockout shook his head. "Where are you guys?" He asked, receiving an address. "OK... I'll be right there." He added, hanging up.

Looking at DJ, Knockout shrugged and smiled. "Looks like we'll be able to see more of each other." He said, standing and kissing her forehead. "I'll be back soon." He told her, hurrying out of the building and for his stolen car.


	3. Chapter 3

_(A/N: So I realized that i had posted the same chapter for number three as I did for number one. *Sighs* Well, Here's the REAL chapter three.)_

Starscream was sitting on a rotting crate within an abandoned warehouse, glancing over at Soundwave every few moments, wondering who the TIC had been talking to for nearly half an earth hour, using comm. Link to make contact with whoever was needed to aid them in their flight from Autobot and human loudly, Starscream was about to get up and go over to see what his tall comrade was doing, but then Soundwave was standing in front of him, comm. Link returned to it's place in his pocket. "Get up." The TIC ordered in a voice hoarse from lack of use. "We must move again."

The SiC looked up at Soundwave skeptically. "What? No? But we just moved an hour ago!" He cried in indignation.

Welcome to the life of a fugitive." Soundwave responded calmly, grabbing the other mech's arm and jerking him to his feet, dragging him towards the door when it opened and Knockout raced in, colliding with Starscream and sending them both tumbling, Soundwave able to dodge it at the last moment.

"Knockout!" Starscream shouted, shoving the humanized medic off of himself. "Where have you been?!"

The red-haired human scrambled to his feet, brushing himself off. "Exploring. What's going on?" He demanded, looking between the two before squinting at Starscream. "What happened to your hair?" He asked in amusement, earning a bristling glare from the SIC.

"That's the least of our worries, Knockout!" Starscream snapped at him, pacing in agitation now. "Megatron has abandoned us here on Earth…. He's no longer even IN ORBIT. He has fled and we are now being hunted down by the Autobots and their human companions." He explained in frustration.

Knockout looked between the other two, completely confused and looking extremely worried. "What are we supposed to do? We're pretty much helpless at the moment." He responded bitterly.

"We run." Soundwave answered, stepping into the conversation and surprising the both of them, who weren't at all used to him speaking up. "And we must change how we look." He added.

"Fine." Knockout nodded quickly. "But how and where?" He asked.

Soundwave looked at him and motioned for him to follow. "I have contacts." He answered, turning and disappearing, the other two following quickly after him and out of the warehouse and into the sunlight, heading down the alleys quickly until the tall mech stopped outside a door, knocking loudly.

The three Cybertronians waited for several moments, Starscream and Knockout looking around in disgust and disdain at the trash-filled alleys, at the trash and debris and whatever else… This area was obviously one of the worst areas, and they were slightly surprised… Soundwave had learned how to survive in Kaon, and then in the pits of Kaon as the second-greatest gladiator… He definitely knew his dirty work.

Movement on the other side of the door alerted the three and they looked at the door, hearing several locks click back and then it opened a crack, an older man of about sixty with greasy hair looking out at them. "What do you want?" He demanded.

Soundwave looked down at the shorter man and reached up to remove his sunglasses and hood, revealing the heavy scarring around his mouth which extended down his neck and disappeared beneath the sweater, red eyes now exposed for the scrutinous gaze of the strange, dirty man.

"Ah. One of yous again." THe older man leered before the door shut, more locks and bolts snapping back before it opened all the way. "Come in."

Starscream and Knockout hesitated for a brief moment, following Soundwave when he didn't pause for a second, the taller male immediately stepping into the room and pulling the other two inside behind him, the old man shutting the door behind the three of them before turning to look up at Soundwave.

"Well, Cultic… Haven't seen yous fer a _long_ time." THe old man addressed Soundwave with a sniff of disdain. "Whatcha wantin' _this_ time? Weapons? A slave? A-"

"Cut the chatter, Black Jack." SOundwave cut him off. "We need to change our looks." He responded, getting right to the point.

"Ah… Something wrong you's done, huh? What'd ya do this time?" The short man asked, turning and heading into another room, Soundwave following a few steps behind, his two companions following as well, looking around at the room the just entered, disgusted. It was dimly lit, smelly and very dirty, both men wrinkling their noses and holding their breath to try and keep the foul scent out.

"Murder." Soundwave answered without a beat, causing his comrades to both jump and stare at him in utter shock, Starscream opening his mouth to protest, but a sharp look from Soundwave shut him up before he could get a word out.

"Murder…" Black Jack muttered, thinking about it. "I highly doubt it." He snorted, rummaging through a few drawers and pulling out several vials and bottles and then scissors and a knife and several other articles, sending chills down both Starscream's and Knockout's spines. "I think itsa somethin' much worse." The old man cackled gleefully.

Soundwave was silent and glaring at the short man in hatred. "And you know full well that I don't share much with you." He snapped sharply.

Black Jack guffawed loudly. "Not manna do, Cultic." He responded coldly. "But yet they still come to ma when they needin ma help." He added pointedly, motioning to a chair.

The tall TIC looked at Starscream and KNockout before pulling a gun out of his belt and handing it to a startled KNockout. "If he tries something, shoot him in the back of the head." He ordered, loud enough for the squat man to hear before turning and sitting in the chair, leaning back.

The older man cackled loudly. "I don't mess with your typ'a cults, Cultic." He answered smoothly. "Nothing worth messing with in thar." He added, getting the scissors and begging to cut the black hair in fluid, quick movements, obviously practised many a time.

Starscream and Knockout watched with growing dread as Black cut their comrade's hair, then get out hair dye, dying the black hair to a lighter brown. He then set SOundwave's sunglasses aside and picking up a thin, strange thing that he stuck into Soundwave's eyes, turning the colour from red to a rusty brown.

|What the hell is that?!" Starscream demanded, taking a step back.

Black Jack laughed in amusement. "It's clear contacts with coloured irises." He responded with a wide smirk. "You can change your eye colour however you wish." He said, turning and getting something else. "What about the tattoo? Do you want that removed?" He asked SOundwave, who shook his head and . "No. I will never remove that." He answered.

Silence fell as Black Jack continued to work on Soundwave, some of his methods being sickening, and looking extremely painful, both Knockout and Starscream flinching while Soundwave himself made no movement besides when he stood from the chair, motioning for Knockout to take his turn next, to the relief of Starscream.

"No way!" Knockout protested, backing away. "There's no way in hell that I'm going to-" He was cut off when the tall human stepped forwards and grabbed his arm, jerking him forwards and shoving him into the chair.

Knockout was tense as Black leaned over him then, a guttural laugh shaking his older frame. "A new one, eh? A little pretty boy." He added with a wheeze, smirking. "Not used to the hard life?"

The medic glared at him now. "My life has been hundreds of times harder than yours." He answered with a snap as he stilled so that the human could do his thing. "Don't you _dare_ touch my hair!" He added, glaring at Black Jack and making older man snort and roll his eyes. "Whatever PB."

It took several hours for both Knockout and Starscream to then be finished with their cosmetic changes, and then they received new changes of clothing. Starscream was dressed casually, but on the nicer side, while Knockout looked more like a punk, with dark clothing, chains and several more tattoos that were actually versions of Cybertronian glyphs and Decepticon symbols… Though they were done in patterns that wouldn't be recognized very easily unless it was done under extreme scrutiny and study, and by someone who was familiar with it. Soundwave had dressed the strangest, dressed like a special agent of some sort. Professional. He wore dark glasses again, but was now also wearing a suit.

Black Jack looked them up and down before handing them their false identifications that he had created for each one of them specifically. "Thanks." Soundwave said it coldly, but still thought the old man deserved some thanks before he dropped a pile of cash on the table.

"Eh." Black responded, snorting. "Sure. Now get out of here before you bring all the cops in the area down on us."

Soundwave turned and vanished, Knockout and Starscream following almost eagerly at his heels, following him back out and into the street, wondering what the taller mech was up to now.

Silently, SOundwave led them through the dirty streets, which eventually began to improve in cleanliness as they got closer to the city. Once there, Soundwave turned and ordered his two comrades to stay there and wait for him until he came back.

The two obeyed and quickly disappeared into an alley.

Soundwave looked after them for a few moments before trotting down the streets and to a car dealership of a vehicle called Mercedes. He got into the parking lot and went through them until he found an all black van of his liking and made sure no one was watching before picking the lock, getting inside quickly, hotwiring the vehicle to start it before slowly and nonchalantly pulling it out of the dealership and heading back down the road to pick up the others.

"Where are we going now?" Knockout asked as he climbed into the back of the van.

"Silence met the question before Soundwave finally responded. "Someplace safe…" He answered, refusing to say more.

Starscream, once he realized that he wouldn't be able to get anything else out of the other human, just turned and looked out his window, watching the scenery pass along with time…. A long time passing before they entered a small town that looked very familiar, and his eyes widened, jerking around to look at Soundwave as they pulled into a driveway. "HERE? THis is your _SAFE_ place?" He demanded, the TiC ignoring him and getting out of the car to head up the drive. "This is the safest place there is." He responded.


	4. Chapter 4

_((A/N: I know… A long time before I updated this, but it's finally here! Hope you guys like it, and review to let me know what you think!))_

"We _can't_ stay here!"

Starscream's insistent screeching was getting on his nerves now, and Soundwave turned towards him so that his face was nearly touching the narrow one of the other Decepticon, rusty-colored eyes narrowed behind the dark sunglasses he sported. "Say another word about it and I will break your arms."

Staring up at Soundwave, Starscream quickly backed down, looking away in order to depress the building tension, Knockout watching from directly behind though he made no interference whatsoever.

Satisfied, Soundwave turned away from the other to continue up the walk to stop directly outside the door, hands searching his pockets for several moments before he mumbled a few curses and lifted a hand to knock.

Knockout and Starscream flanked behind the taller male, seemingly unperturbed by the situation, fitting into their assigned roles very well. Soundwave had instructed them on how he expected that they behave, and they seemed to at least be doing as he'd told them. Hopefully it would stay that way.

Footsteps sounded on the other side of the door as whoever was inside approached, Soundwave easily sensing the increased tension from both of his current companions as the door opened to reveal a rather beautiful woman. Black hair curled around either side of her face; large, almond-shaped eyes lit up at the sight of them.

"Lincoln!"

The left corner of Soundwave's lips twitched as he opened his arms to welcome the young woman into them, holding her tightly as she began to cry, clinging to him like a young child that had finally been reunited with their parent after several years.

Soundwave hung onto the young woman as she cried, completely ignoring the confusion on his comrade's faces. His sole focus was the crying human, Soundwave turning his face to press it against the soft flesh of her neck, placing a gentle trail of kisses there while he waited for her to calm down.

"I-I thought you weren't going to be b-back? Not until October?" The woman finally calmed enough to form the words as she pushed back, looking up at the brown haired decepticon before finally seeming to notice the other two. "Oh, I'm so sorry!" She announced, slightly embarrassed.

Clearing his throat, Soundwave turned towards the two stunned men behind him, one arm wrapped around the woman's shoulders. "Hezekiah and Mikael, this is my wife, Sofía Esquivel."

A wide grin spread over Knockout's face, he being the first to recover from the shock of Soundwave's announcement. "A pleasure, Mrs. Esquivel. Mikael Tangreen." He stated charmingly, dipping his head. Starscream only gave a nod of acknowledgement. At least he was acting more like a special agent.

"My men and I have an assignment in the area. We need a place to work out of." Soundwave said as he looked down at Sofía, then around at the street around them, jerking his head towards the house.

Realization dawned on Sofía's face before she turned towards the house, motioning for them to come inside, quietly shutting the door behind them. "Raf! Come and see who's here!" She called up the stairs.

Footsteps sounded overhead, and both Starscream and Knockout were awestruck at the wide grin plastering itself across Soundwave face as a familiar boy appeared at the top of the stairs.

Raf looked down over the railing before he saw the tall, brown haired man, dressed in a suit with dark sunglasses. His face practically lit up before he took off down the steps, jumping them two at a time until he was in Soundwave's arms.

"Dad!" Catching his son, Soundwave wrapped his arms around the young boy as he greeted him for the first time in almost two years.

"You didn't call to tell me that you were coming home!" Rafael cried happily as Soundwave set him down, the young boy all but shaking with excitement until he noticed the other two men standing behind his father. "Who's that, Dad?" He questioned, a hint of nervousness in his voice.

"These are just some friends of mine, Rafael. I have some work to do while I'm here." Soundwave responded, a crestfallen look passing over his son's face, though it didn't last long, hidden behind a small smile. "Alright, Dad. Will we be able to do something together?" He asked hopefully.

A flicker of sadness passed through Soundwave's heart, though it didn't last very long. "Of course." He answered, an awkward silence falling before Sofía broke it, the woman moving to place her hands on Raf's shoulders. "Shouldn't you be getting ready for school, Raf? Your friends will be here soon."

Pushing himself up to his feet, Soundwave smiled as he watched his son climb back up the stairs to get ready for school.

"Thank you for letting us stay here." Soundwave murmured, turning to his wife, the dark-haired woman smiling as she looked over at the other two men standing by the door. "I knew the day for this might come before I married you. Who are they really?"

Soundwave gave a soft snort of amusement, something neither Knockout or Starscream had ever heard before. "This is Knockout and Starscream. The medic and my commanding officer." The tall male answered, motioning first to Knockout, then to Starscream.

It was almost enough to amuse Soundwave, the way the other two's mouths dropped open, the tall decepticon instead remaining focused on his wife, who nodded. "I remember. Why are you here, really?" She questioned.

A grim expression settled over Soundwave's face as he turned to fully face the dark-haired woman. "Megatron left us behind. Went on a retreat back to Cybertron to refuel and get some fresh soldiers." He answered, removing the dark sunglasses now. "We're stranded here for the time being, and there's a nation-wide manhunt for us. I thought that, with Jasper being so out of the way, we might be able to remain under the radar." Soundwave added to his explanation.

Sofía shook her head, slight confusion on her face. "I don't remember seeing anything on the television about a manhunt," she answered uncertainly, the thoughtful expression on her face endearing.

"Not yet. I think they'll keep it undercover for as long as they can. Once they get tired of looking, it will be announced." Soundwave responded.

"Especially since they don't know where to look for us." Knockout added from where he leaned against the wall, falling into a more relaxed frame of mind now that he knew Soundwave's mate was aware of their true identities.

Soundwave nodded, "exactly."

A knock on the door had the three men on edge, Knockout straightening while Starscream drew back to his full height, eyes narrowed behind his glasses as he fixated his gaze on the door.

"That's just Raf's friends." Sofía spoke up softly, Soundwave casting her a glance before making his way over to the door to open it. Jack Darby and Miko Nakadai looked up at them, surprise lighting their faces while the tall stranger stared down at them.

"Who're you?" Miko demanded, suspicion in her voice.

"Hey Miko! Hey, Jack!" Raf cried happily, dodging around Soundwave to step out onto the porch, backpack in hand. "This is my dad! He's back from overseas!"

Jack and Miko's surprise only seemed to increase, Jack holding out a hand as he offered a smile. "Hi, Mr. Esquivel. I'm Jack Darby." The dark-haired youth announced a little awkwardly, Soundwave studying him for a brief moment longer before taking Jack's hand and giving it a firm shake. "A pleasure."

"Who are they?"

Of course Miko would be the one to notice Starscream and Knockout standing inside the house, a little ways from the door. She was the most curious and assertive, after all.

Glancing over his shoulder calmly, Soundwave turned back to look down at the teen. "Those are my work compatriots. Mikael Tangreen and Hezekiah Eckhaus." He answered coolly, smiling only when Raf ran to hug him again.

"Bye, Dad!" The sandy-haired boy announced loudly before he turned to hop down the porch, Jack moving to follow him. Miko, however, stuck her head inside the house to study Starscream, a frown on her face. "Is he a Nazi?"

Confused by the question, Soundwave turned to look at the other decepticon, finally noticing the armband wrapped around the other's arm… And the swastika on it.

Turning back to Miko, Soundwave motioned for the girl to leave. "No." He responded, his answer short and precise. "Now don't you have school?" He questioned, the teen glaring up at him before turning and jumping off the porch to hurry after her companions.

Watching her go for a moment, Soundwave turned back to Starscream, glaring at him. "Get rid of that." He ordered, the lanky decepticon sighing loudly before he removed it and tossed it to the side.

"How's Raf been?" Soundwave asked, turning his attention onto his wife, Starscream and Knockout wandering further into the house.

Sofía smiled and shook her head. "He spends most of his time after school with the Autobots. They take care of him." She answered, heading into the kitchen area, Soundwave following after her.

"That's the only reason why I allow him to spend time with them." Soundwave answered.

The woman laughed softly, glancing over her shoulder. "Your friends don't pass for agents, Linc." She said, changing the subject.

"They can. We stakeout. They're undercover."

"Ah, yes. That's very convincing."

Smiling at the amusement he could hear in Sofía's voice, Soundwave moved closer, putting his hands on her waist, pulling Sofía closer to him. "I've missed you," he murmured, leaning in close.

Sofía turned her face upwards to meet him, happiness in her hazel eyes as he stood on tiptoes to press her lips against his. They were warm and soft, drawing Soundwave in for another, then another. "I love you." She whispered, the words soothing Soundwave, "but not here. Not with your friends in the living room." She murmured, pulling away.

Sighing loudly, Soundwave leaned against the counter, a smile on his face. "Remind me to come alone next time." He answered teasingly.

"I've waited a year. We can afford to wait a few hours longer." Sofía answered with a smile. "Now, are you hungry?"

* * *

"Dude! You've never talked about your dad before!"

Raf frowned at Miko, pausing in his walk as he turned to look up at her. "You never asked…?" He asked questioningly, head tilting slightly to convey his confusion.

"C'mon, Raf! He looks important! What's he do?" Miko demanded, jumping in front of her friend, obviously interested in Rafael's response, the younger boy looking a little upset with her insistent questioning.

"Well…" Raf looked up at Jack, who had remained quiet thus far, then back at Miko. "He works with the CIA. He was spending time overseas." The younger boy answered with a little shrug, continuing on his way down the sidewalk as the two older youth followed.

Jack walked up beside his young friend, "so what does he do? Do you know?" He asked nonchalantly.

Looking up at Jack, Raf shrugged. "Not really. It's mostly confidential." He answered innocently, completely oblivious to the suspicions of his friends.

"Hey, Raf… Who were the other two guys with him?"

"Yeah! Who was the Nazi?" Miko piped up, receiving a look from Jack, the older boy conveying his wish that she's calm down and remain silent through his expression.

Raf shrugged in disinterest. "Dad sometimes brings colleagues with him. They work in stakeouts, and use a lot of disguises." He explained, a smile on his face as he looked up at them. "You should hang out with me and my Dad! He's the one I get my technological skills from too."

Realization dawned on Miko's face, a mischievous grin spreading over her face. "So he's like a technical genius too? Think he could beat Soundwave?"

Grinning, Raf looked up at the Japanese girl with amusement. "I would think so. I do fairly well against Soundwave, but my dad's better."

Jack stopped walking now, turning to face Raf. "Something bothers me about him, Raf." The dark-haired youth announced, stopping the younger boy dead in his tracks. "He seems… Familiar. I just can't place it yet."

Confused, Raf shook his head. "But you've never met my dad?" He asked questioningly.

"No, at least not with you… Don't you find it strange that he turns up out of the blue? A day after the Decepticons left Earth?"

Raf frowned up at Jack, shrugging. "No…? He always comes around whenever he's got time to… It's not unusual for him to show up out of nowhere." The younger boy attempted to explain, realizing what his friend was hinting at. "You think my dad's a decepticon? He's _human_! You saw for yourself!"

Jack sighed. "I don't know… It's just bothering me."

"Soundwave, Knockout, and Starscream didn't show up in the last battle too! And Bulkhead and the others were on the ship! They didn't see them!" Miko cried, getting into the conversation now. "How come your dad shows up with two of his buddies? Three? Seems to be the perfect number for the missing 'cons!"

"My dad's _not_ a decepticon!" Rafael responded loudly, looking extremely upset now. "My dad always brings friends when he's still on duty! They work in teams!"

"Calm down, Raf!" Jack responded, attempting to console the younger boy. "I just felt… Odd around him is all."

Raf looked up at his friend, taking a step back. "That's because you haven't met him before!"

"Oh!" Miko exclaimed, popping back into the conversation. "What if they used some sort of relic to shrink them down into humans?!"

Frustrated and hurt, Raf backed away from them. "My dad's not a decepticon! You don't even _know_ him!" He cried, turning away from the older teens before running off.

"Raf!" Jack called after the brown-haired boy, watching as Rafael ran back up the sidewalk towards his house, finally turning to fix Miko with a glare.

"What?" The Japanese girl questioned, looking entirely innocent. "Did I say something wrong?"

* * *

Sofía and Soundwave looked up when they heard the door open and slam shut, followed by footsteps as someone rushed up the stairs.

Turning to look at his wife with a confused look, Soundwave moved to stand just as Knockout appeared in the doorframe. "Your kid just came back in. Ran up the stairs… Kinda looked upset." The red-haired male announced a little awkwardly.

"Thank you, Knockout." Soundwave responded, pushing himself up to stand from where he'd been sitting, stopping only to kiss Sofía on the cheek. "I'll go see him." He murmured before leaving the kitchen and heading up the stairs.

Things were as he remembered, clean and spacious, the hall lined with three doors. His and Sofía's room, the bathroom, and Rafael's. It wasn't hard to remember which belonged to his son, the outside of the door holding a single poster depicting a maze of data that formed a hacker or some computer genius.

Knocking on the door, Soundwave waited for a response, but none came. "Raf?" He called, opening the door and pushing it open to see his son lying on his bed, face pressed into the pillow. "Hey… Hey, buddy, what's going on?" Soundwave questioned, moving to sit on the bed beside his child. He'd always had trouble showing feeling and emotion, but when it came to his family? It was a little easier.

"Rafael… Tell me what happened." Soundwave ordered as gently as he could, Raf sniffling as he rolled to press his face into his father's side, Soundwave wrapping his arms around the young boy, pulling him into his lap to cuddle him close.

"J-Jack and Miko s-say that you're not a g-good man." Rafael sniffled softly, shaking a little.

Soundwave frowned, a little confused, as he looked down at his child. "How would they know? I've never met them." He answered softly, voice as soothing as he could make it.

"Th-They said that they s-saw you on the ne-news… That you'd k-killed people." He answered softly, voice cracking slightly as Raf tried to explain.

Sighing loudly, Soundwave shook his head. Children could be so cruel nowadays, especially- _wait_. Looking down at his son, Soundwave felt realization dawn. _Maybe they've guessed at who I was? It would be a pretty big guess… No evidence to back it up._

"Rafael… Raf, look at me," he ordered softly, tilting his son's face up so he could look into those large eyes, so much like Sofía's. "Hey buddy… Have you ever seen any sort of news like that? A picture of me along with a report of all my wrongs?" Soundwave questioned gently.

Rafael shook his head, sniffing deeply. "N-No."

"Then why would you believe them?" He asked softly, wiping away the tears still running down his son's face.

"I-I didn't! It made me mad! I don't believe them!" Rafael responded insistently, Soundwave smiling faintly. "Then don't worry about it. How about you skip school today? You and I can go out to eat?" He asked softly, a small smile on his lips.

Looking up, Rafael smiled softly, nodding. "C-Could we?"

"Of course. Come with me." Soundwave ordered, standing his son up before taking his hand and leading him down the stairs. If he was stranded on Earth, he'd be damned if he weren't going to spend time with his son.

 _(A/N: I know that Raf is actually from a family of 7, but for the sake of this story, he is actually a single child.)_


	5. Chapter 5

It had been nearly a week, and Knockout was getting restless. DJ had no idea where he was, and he hadn't really been able to contact her. Regardless of the fact that he was -at the moment- no longer a communications officer, Soundwave still seemed to appear every time Knockout wanted to use the phone or leave the building.

It was getting old. Soundwave wasn't responsible for him, and Knockout was tired of the taller male acting like he was a juvenile delinquent that needed constant monitoring. That's why Knockout took off the first chance he had: while Soundwave was out with Rafael. The kid was spending more time around the house, avoiding his so-called friends, and that meant Soundwave was around more often too.

Knockout felt it was unfair. Why was he expected to stay in _Soundwave's home_ , with Soundwave's _wife_ and _child_? He had his own place! Wouldn't they raise less suspicions separately than together? He could see Starscream was looking flighty as well, the slim man's mannerisms still a mirror of what they were as a seeker. Staying in one place too long, unable to fly, was beginning to grate on Starscream's sanity.

Another reason why ground models were better than seekers. They could conduct undercover missions in holoform longer and more effectively than a seeker could. Hopefully Megatron would decide to come back for them before Starscream was admitted into a mental health facility.

Sneaking out of the house wasn't a problem. Neither was stealing a car in order to get him to DJ's garage.

His wife was standing outside, working under the hood of a car, when he pulled up.

Knockout waited a moment before opening the car door to climb out, slamming the door behind him before making his way up to where DJ stood, the younger woman now standing upright as she watched him approach.

"You've got a lot of nerve."

Venting loudly, Knockout stopped walking, hands on his hips as he looked up at his wife. "Would a sorry be enough?" He asked.

"No."

Knockout sighed softly, standing a few feet away as he regarded his agitated wife. "I can explain." He answered, the black-haired woman snorting as she shook her head. "Yeah? You've got two minutes." She answered, throwing a dirtied rag down next to the car as she turned to face him, arms crossed.

"Soundwave called me. I've been unable to get away. The guy knows whenever I attempted to make a call or get out," the red-haired man explained, shrugging. "I booked it the moment he left."

A smile twitched at the corner of DJ's lips as she turned away and slammed the hood of the car shut. "Then you've come in time to help me race this. Did the last one without you, by the way." The pregnant woman walked over to the waiting man, smiling faintly. "Works like a charm." She added, placing a kiss to Knockout's lips.

Noticing the nervous flicker of the auburn eyes, DJ shook her head. "Not there yet, KO. I'm good to race." She announced firmly, turning away to climb into the car. "Are you coming or do I need to find another co-pilot? _Again_."

Knockout sighed loudly before he walked around the car and climbed into the passenger seat, glancing over his shoulder at the waiting tanks of Nitroglycerin. "You're juicing?" He demanded loudly.

"Uh, yeah. There's a new guy in town. He's got a good car, and I'm not losing again." DJ answered, turning the key in the ignition as the car rumbled to life, red lights coming to life within the car.

Silence filled the small interior as rubber squealed and the car shot out of the garage and down the street with a roar.

* * *

"Where is Rafael?"

Jack looked up, frowning for several moments. He and Miko had attempted to cover for Raf's absence, but quite honestly, he was surprised that it had taken so long for someone to ask the question. He wasn't surprised, however, that it was Optimus Prime who was first to ask.

"What do you mean?"

Blue optics settled on Jack, the gaze almost a tangible weight to the human. "Rafael. Why has he stopped coming?"

Sighing loudly, Jack finally decided that it had been enough. He was done telling lies and making excuses. One person couldn't be sick every day for two and a half weeks unless it was something viable, and Jack had no idea what sort of illness he could use to pass off… Optimus had access to the worldwide web, and could easily validate anything he said.

"His dad showed up… They've been spending time together."

Studying the youth before him, Optimus knew that Jack was telling him the truth. At least for the first time in several weeks. "And why would that prevent him from coming here?"

Jack shrugged a little, unsure of what to say next. "Because his dad works with the CIA. He's always overseas on classified missions, and he's rarely around. Raf just… wanted to spend time with him I guess." The youth explained, flipping through the geometry book he'd brought with him.

"What else?" Optimus prodded gently, able to sense that Jack was trying to hide something from him. He could sense it in both the youth's body language as well as his tone.

Looking up, Jack remained silent for several moments, wondering how much he should say. Raf would never forgive him if he spoke up and put his friend's family at risk.

Sighing, the black-haired youth shut his book, resting his face in his palms. "Miko and I met Raf's father… There was something about him that really… Made me uncomfortable. I felt like I'd met him, you know? Just a feeling, I guess." Jack struggled to explain exactly what he wanted to say, frowning. "And he had two other guys with him. They showed up the day after the last fight you guys had with the 'cons."

Optimus Prime was silent as he listened, beginning to pick up on what it was that Jack was saying, only he had a more extensive knowledge of Cybertronians than his young human companion did. He knew that what he was suspecting was possible. "Explain."

"I just feel that it's a little too coincidental for three men to show up at Raf's house the day after the decepticons leave Earth short three of their team." Jack answered, feeling slightly frustrated. "Miko and I tried to talk to Raf about it, but he got upset and ran off… He's been avoiding us since."

The silence was short, something that was a relief to the young human. "Can you describe these three?" The tall autoboot questioned.

"Um… yeah." Jack looked up at the red and blue mech, a slightly confused expression on his face as he sat up a little on the couch. "One -Raf's dad- was brown-haired. Brownish eyes… Sort of looks like a rust color. Really tall. Kind of cold, quiet-spoken." The youth paused for several moments as he tried to think of how to describe the other two. "One of the others was red-haired. Wearing black pants and jacket, a red tank-top. Chains. Goatee. The last had gray hair, kinda narrow features. Pink eyes. Kinda looked albino."

Optimus Prime was silent as he listened, but the moment Jack finished, the massive mech turned away. "Thank you, Jack." The autobot announced as he looked across the rec-room towards Ratchet. "Ratchet, check the profiles for Soundwave, Knockout, and Starscream's holoform." He ordered, turning back to Jack. "Jack, I would ask that you will find Arcee and asked to be returned home."

Nodding quickly, Jack gathered up his books and turned away, hurrying down the steps from the make-shift rec-room that had been put together for the children.

Turning away, Optimus Prime made his way to stand directly behind Ratchet, watching as the medic brought up all information they had on the three missing Decepticon's profiles. With it came three images of humans -or holoforms as cybertronians knew them- and they matched Jack's descriptions… Perfectly.

"Ratchet, contact Agent Fowler."

* * *

"Slow down!"

Knockout braced his legs in preparation for impact with a large apartment building, the squeal of tires drowning out all other noise as the car swerved into a sharp turn, shooting down the next stretch of road.

"Calm down! When did you become such a wimp?" DJ laughed, glancing over at the nervous male beside her, slamming a hand against the wheel with a grin. "With this baby, there's no doubt we can lose!"

A hot rod sporting a flame paint-job began to draw up beside them, the driving glancing towards them through the tinted window before jerking the wheel.

"DJ!" Knockout shouted, his wife jerking to look in the direction of the other driver, swearing as she slammed on the gas in an attempt to outrun the impending accident, but she only succeeded in putting them into a more vulnerable position as the front of the hot rod's front end connected with the back, sending them into a spin.

Everything spun as the car fishtailed, then hit the curb, flipping it. The sound of smashing glass and crushing metal filled Knockout's world, pain exploding in his head before the car landed once more -hard- and stopped moving.

Hanging upside down, arms dangling above his head, Knockout turned his face towards his wife. "DJ…" He whispered, reaching towards the woman. Her head was bleeding, and her eyes were closed.

Darkness crept into Knockout's vision as the sound of sirens sounded in the distance faded into the background as he lost consciousness.

They were at the mercy of others now.


	6. Chapter 6

_(A/N: I hope you guys enjoy this next chapter here. I've had a lot of questions about Starscream, and whether or not he's got a significant other... Guess you'll just have to see! :D )_

* * *

Starscream fled the Esquivel household the moment he saw the news. The arrest of a dangerous fugitive after an hour long, high-speed chase. The man arrested: Mikael Tangreen, had been the priority of the CIA and FBI for a long time. Finally, they'd caught up to him and were able to detain him after a severe crash, the officers on scene also able to rescue the hostage Mikael Tangreen had taken in order to make his escape by stolen car.

Without anywhere to go, Starscream was running blind. The worst thing one could do when there was a nation-wide manhunt for him. He and Soundwave were at risk now, and Starscream had no idea where the humans learned of them, or where they had gotten these crazy stories from.

Soundwave, or otherwise known as Lincoln Esquivel, was wanted for trading in the illegal black market, drug dealing, murder, and aggravated assault. Him? _Starscream_? Hezekiah Eckhaus? Hezekiah was wanted for _terrorist_ attacks! Charges of terrorism and sabotage! Perhaps they weren't entirely wrong, seeing as he'd committed such acts as an decepticon.

Regardless, Starscream fled Jasper, Nevada. He fled all the way to Henderson, Nevada.

Ditching the car was easy, just drop it into a deep ravine, and walk the rest of the way. That was where he noticed the old farmhouse, isolated and run down. That was the reason why Starscream stopped there, stayed in the barn. Gone were the days that he would've complained of staying in such conditions. Now he saw the necessity.

The door creaked loudly as Starscream pushed it open, the silver-haired man peaking inside to ensure there was no-one inside.

Quietly slipping into the dim barn, Starscream silently made his way towards the back of the barn. There was a stack of hay bales, and a pile of old blankets. It was those that the tall male went for, gathering up a couple blankets to make a bed for himself in the darkest corner. It was dark, but that didn't bother him.

Starscream sighed softly as he leaned against the wall, sliding down to sit on the floor. His legs burned, and he was exhausted.

That was when he heard it: the soft chuff of air behind the wall next to his head.

Scrambling to his feet, Starscream threw the blanket aside, crouching in place as he listened with wide eyes. There it was again. A soft, snorting sound.

Breathing heavily, Starscream slowly stood up to his full height, creeping softly around the corner to look into a small, box like room that only came up to his rib cage. Inside was a small foal. A sparkling horse, from what he'd learned over his time on Earth.

Footsteps reached Starscream's ears, causing him to jerk away from the foal, listening carefully. It sounded like somebody was approaching. It clicked then. The bales of hay, the blankets, the horse… This wasn't an abandoned farm at all, and somebody was coming.

Starscream's breath caught in his throat when the barn door creaked open.


	7. Chapter 7

Knockout woke to the sound of soft beeping, rhythmic and steady, an sound familiar enough to him that he believed he was going to open his eyes and find himself in the Nemesis medbay. So when he opened his eyes to find himself in an unfamiliar white room, his heart monitor jumped.

Grunting as he attempted to sit himself up, a loud rattle and jerk on his left hand had him doing a double-take. Blinking away the blurry vision, Knockout focused on the handcuff chaining his hand to the berth.

Squinting, Knockout tugged at his wrist again, head flopping back onto the pillows. His heart-rate spike drastically when his memory came rushing back: the race, the painted hot rod, and the crash...

 _Daniele._

Knockout began to thrash, jerking at his restraint, as he began to call for his wife.

The door flew open, two officers rushing in with a nurse following closely behind. "Stand down! Stand down, _now!_ "

Hands were on him, pressing him down onto the bed as the nurse prepared an injection. "Daniele! Daniele Jarkistk!" Knockout shouted, arching up off the bed in his desperation to get to his wife. "No! Don't touch me!" He screamed, one of the officers throwing himself down across his legs to keep him from kicking, the other moving to pin down his wrists as he called for restraints.

"Enough! Stand down!"

Knockout was breathing heavily, effectively pinned down when an all-too familiar figure walked into the room, smug as could be.

"Fowler!" Knockout snarled, jerking again in an attempt to get free, the officers ensuring his movements were minimal.

"Will you agree to remain complacent if my agents were to release you?" Fowler questioned, not acknowledging the red-head's initial outburst.

Glaring venomously, Knockout was able to manage a short nod in response, waiting for the agents to back off before lunging for the older man.

Slammed back down to the bed, Knockout's head spun and his vision blurred. He could hear the nurse ordering them to stop, warning them of the 'consequences' of their actions.

Knockout clenched his teeth so hard that he could taste blood flood his mouth, the young human screaming in rage, the nurse preparing a needle out of the corner of his eye.

Slumping back against the bed, Knockout had to fight to keep from sobbing. "Daniele. Please..." He begged once more as the prick of a needle caused him to flinch.

"Stop." Fowler ordered once more, holding up a hand to gesture for the officers and nurse to back off, Knockout shaking although he didn't lash out again. He remained still, lying on his back, gaze fixated on the agent's face.

"Th-the other person in the car..." Knockout coughed, vision swimming when the movement sent a wave of dizziness through him, "where is she?"

"The hostage is safe. She is being cared for in a separate-"

Rage bubbled up in Knockout again. "She's MY WIFE!" He screamed, jerking at the handcuffs again. "MY _WIFE_!"

Straightening up to his full height, Fowler stared at the red-haired man for several moments before he motioned for the others in the room to leave. The officers glanced at each other, Knockout, then their superior, finally relenting as they slipped past the African and closed the door behind them.

"Do you really want to risk her safety?"

The question stopped Knockout cold, the ex-decepticon looking up with a stricken look on his face. "What? Wh-what do you mean?" He demanded fearfully, shaking his head slowly.

"Daniele Jarkistk was pulled from the wreckage of your car. I pulled every string I had in order to fabricate the story of her being your hostage." Fowler explained, hands clasped behind his back as he paced in front of the door. "Do you really want everyone to know that she's the wife of an alien?"

Knockout's blood ran cold, mouth opening and closing as he struggled to find a response. "H-How do you...?"

Fowler snorted in a way that some may take as amusement, but Knockout could see it was disdain. "It wasn't hard. You and your two friends weren't present at the final battle that drove the Nemesis back to Cybertron. They found that you and your companions were in holoform," the agent looked towards the restrained decepticon with a smile. "They pulled up your records and from there we handed out descriptions."

Shutting his eyes, Knockout clenched his jaw and bit back another cry of rage and pain. This was his fault, no one else's.

"Can I see her?" The question was so quiet, Knockout wasn't sure that Fowler had heard it, but the agent drew in a deep breath and watched him with an intense gaze.

"No."

Knockout felt the tears begin to form in his eyes, the decepticon taking several deep breaths in an attempt to keep from crying aloud. Maybe when he was alone, but not in the face of his enemy.

"C-Can you at least... Tell me h-how she's do-doing?" Knockout fought to form the words, his hands shaking as his eyes tracked the other man's pacing. "Is she alright?"

For a brief moment, Fowler looked torn, but then his expression cleared. Almost too quickly for Knockout to pick it up, but he could tell that the agent before him wasn't sure whether he wanted to tell him or not.

"Please."

Fowler stared at the man before him. A man that was also an alien robotic humanoid, the man that was part of a race that desired nothing more than the extinction of the human race. A man that also married a human, and now looked more concerned about said woman than his impending incarceration.

"Miss Jarkistk is stable. She went into premature labor." Fowler held up a hand to prevent Knockout's outburst. "The baby is in the NICU. They're both stable."

Knockout shook his head, stricken with the news. He turned his face away, swallowing hard before forming an answer. "Thank you."

Giving a short nod, Fowler turned away and left the room, allowing the nurse to re-enter behind him. She moved around Knockout before beginning to disinfect his wrist, the skin rubbed raw and bleeding from when he'd been fighting the handcuff. Knockout just shut his eyes and fell away from the world.

The moment he'd seen the news, Soundwave knew they were coming for him. Sofía had pleaded with him to leave, but he'd refused. He would face what was coming.

It wasn't long before the sound of sirens reached his ears, then the sound of the officers ordering for him to come out. It was like a movie, and it gave Soundwave the briefest flicker of amusement passing through him as he stood up from where he'd been seated on the couch, pistol in hand.

Soundwave stopped only briefly to lean over and place a kiss on Sofía's cheek, Soundwave trying so hard to not just take her hand and flee as he looked down into the tear-filled eyes of the woman he loved. "I'm sorry. I'll be back." He murmured, turning away and heading for the door.

"Dad?"

Stopping at the door, hand on the knob, Soundwave half-turned to look at his son standing at the top of the stairs. "Go back to bed, Rafael. This will be over soon, alright?"

Raf looked distressed, the young boy moving to com down the stairs before Sofía arrived, catching him in her arms as she hugged him close, preventing him from going to Soundwave.

Looking down on his family, Soundwave finally turned away, pulling the door open before stepping out onto the porch. Police cars were lined up outside, officers taking cover behind the doors and bulk of the cruisers, guns pointed at him.

"Stand down! Put the gun down!"

Soundwave silently regarded the officers waiting outside, expression cold and emotionless as he watched them, slowly lifting the gun up before a voice stopped him.

"Soundwave!"

Turning quickly, Soundwave levelled the pistol with Agent Fowler, the human standing off to one side.

Expression grim and determined, Soundwave pulled the hammer back.

"Lincoln Esquivel, is it?" Agent Fowler questioned, hands up as he slowly approached. "Otherwise known as Soundwave?"

Soundwave clenched his jaw and lifted the gun a little higher, lining it up with the other man's head. "Step any closer, and I'll shoot you."

Fowler snorted, shaking his head in amusement as he stepped closer. "Do that, and you'll have another charge laid over your head." The African-American responded, stepping up right in front of the decepticon. "Do you want to make this any uglier for your family? Surrender, and we can keep this under wraps."

Studying the human in front of him, Soundwave lifted his chin a little more. "And imprison me? For life? Megatron will come back for us." He responded firmly, gaze narrowed. "Then you won't be able to hold me responsible for what happens next." He hissed, Fowler shaking his head. "What makes you think that we will be the ones holding you? The autobots will have that pleasure."

Soundwave clenched his teeth, breathing heavily as he glared at the dark-skinned agent, Fowler returning the gaze as neither was willing to back down.

"Put the gun down, Soundwave. The autobots will have the opportunity to incapacitate you." Fowler ordered, stepping closer so the barrel of the gun was almost directly in front of his face, though his eyes never strayed from the decepticon's. "Be grateful it's not the human government. You have prime to thank for that, otherwise you would've been sentenced to multiple life imprisonment, without the chance of parole, and possibly find yourself in a seat on Death Row." The american murmured under his breath, seemingly trying to keep what was being said from the other humans present.

"What of my family?" Soundwave questioned, teeth still tightly clenched as he tried to think through his options.

Fowler took a deep breath and straightened himself fully, studying the dark-haired male for several moments before responding. "They will be told what everyone else will be: that you are a dangerous criminal. A corrupt CIA agent that we've been hunting for the past decade." He explained, Soundwave giving a sharp sound of bitter amusement. "And ruin my family's reputation?" He demanded.

"They will play the part of being unaware, I'm certain. What other choice do you have, Soundwave?" Fowler questioned quietly, jerking his head towards the home behind the taller male. "Let them watch you kill one of their own kind? Let your son watch as you're killed right on his front lawn?"

Regarding the human with bitter hatred, Soundwave slowly lowered the gun as the officers around him shouted orders at him, the steady noise just a buzz in the background as the cybertronian slowly dropped himself down to his knees in the grass.

They were on him faster than he'd expected, but Soundwave was silent as he was jerked around, arms roughly pulled behind his back as the agents locked cuffs over his wrists. The entire time he just looked up at Fowler.

Raf was shouting in the background, alternating between pleading with the officers to leave his father alone and angrily shouting at Fowler and Soundwave collectively. He felt betrayed by both of them.

Soundwave understood the feeling.

There was nothing he could do. The agents refused to let Raf come any closer than the porch, and his wife was keeping a firm hold on the young boy. She was crying, but this was a possibility she always knew could happen. Raf's face was stained with angry tears as he was held back.

Soundwave stared back at them as he was pulled to his feet and shoved towards the nearby vehicles.

"You know, for a guy that supposedly loves his family," Fowler approached again, looking back at the scene Rafael was making and then back up at Soundwave, he shook his head. "Why would you still help Megatron destroy the human race?"

Fixating the dark-skinned agent with an angry gaze, Soundwave tried to pull away from the officers holding him back, the anger clear in both his expression and his words. "You can't even begin to understand! If you did, you wouldn't dare come here nor arrest me!" The tall cybertronian snarled as he was dragged back and forced into one of the vehicles, the door slammed behind him.

"He will destroy us all."


End file.
